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Miro1 protein linked to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes

A protein called Miro1 found at elevated levels in the skeletal muscle of people with Type 2 diabetes may contribute to insulin resistance, potentially making it a target for future treatments that help the body regulate blood sugar, according to a study published today in Nature Communications. Researchers found that removing Miro1 restored the muscles’ response to insulin in preclinical models, while exercise reduced the protein’s levels in people with Type 2 diabetes.

The study was led by senior author Dr. John P. Kirwan, recently named executive director of the OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center at the University of Oklahoma. He conducted the research while at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center and now brings his internationally recognized translational research program to OU, where he will build on his work to advance the understanding and treatment of diabetes. The study’s first author is Elizabeth Heintz, a doctoral candidate who worked in the Integrated Physiology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical, and the co-corresponding author is Christopher Axelrod, who has since joined Kirwan at the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center.

This research exemplifies the breadth of scientific discovery at Pennington Biomedical, where research spans all levels, from basic science that reveals the biological mechanisms underlying disease to clinical studies and population-based research that informs public health. Dr. Kirwan and his team’s findings on Miro1 demonstrate the value of this integrated approach, connecting fundamental discoveries about muscle function with insights into insulin resistance and the benefits of exercise in people with Type 2 diabetes. This work is advancing our understanding of diabetes and helping lay the foundation for future approaches to prevention and treatment.

Cannabis Use and Head and Neck Cancer

This retrospective cohort study used a globally federated health research network that provided access to consistently updated deidentified electronic medical records (TriNetX). We used the US Collaborative network, which provided access to data from 64 health care organizations that accounted for greater than 90 million individuals. The cohort consisted of tertiary care centers within the US. The database complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as information is supplied only in aggregated counts of 10 or greater with deidentified information only.

Two cohorts were created to compare relative risk of various HNCs. Cohort 1 (cannabis-related disorder group) included individuals who received a diagnosis of cannabis-related disorder (International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-10-CM] F12) and had a recorded outpatient hospital clinic visit (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System: G0463) with no prior history of HNC. Cannabis-related disorders are defined by the excessive use of cannabis with associated psychosocial symptoms, such as impaired social and/or occupational functioning. Cohort 2 (no cannabis-related disorder group) included individuals who had a recorded outpatient hospital clinic visit, never received a diagnosis of cannabis use disorder, and did not have a history of HNC. Each group was defined by diagnosis or hospital visit from April 19, 2004, to April 19, 2024. Similar groups were created, with stratification by age (younger than 60 years or 60 years or older, as per previous research). The analysis was completed on April 19, 2024. The ICD-10 and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes used are documented in the eTable in Supplement 1.

A Compartmental Model of Obesity with Treatment Response and Relapse Endemic Equilibrium Analysis and Long-Term Dynamics

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the long-term dynamics of obesity under conditions of treatment response and relapse using a four-compartment dynamical model motivated by the growing use of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy. The model is partially calibrated to Georgia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 2011 to 2024 and reproduces the observed trends closely. We establish the existence of a unique endemic equilibrium, linking model parameters directly to long-run prevalence. Simulations show that increasing the effective treatment-transition rate on its own produces only modest reductions in prevalence. Sensitivity analysis shows that, under the baseline setting, equilibrium obesity prevalence is most strongly influenced by obesity progression and partial recovery. Under the enhanced treatment-response setting, the effective treatment-transition rate becomes the strongest negative driver, while obesity progression remains the strongest positive driver and the influence of relapse increases substantially. Improving access to GLP-1-based treatment may increase the effective treatment-transition rate, but access alone is not sufficient. Lasting reductions in prevalence also require managing relapse, so policy design needs to address adherence and long-term retention, not access alone.

Obesity Modeling, Compartmental Systems, Endemic Equilibrium, Treatment Response, Relapse Dynamics, GLP-1 Therapy, Sensitivity Analysis

Atomic Wave Simulates Black Hole Properties

Using sheets of light to corral waves of ultracold atoms, researchers have created an experimental platform for studying the event horizons of black holes.

According to theory, if a pair of mirrors facing one another is vibrated rapidly enough, the optical field between them will display black-hole-like traits, such as the equivalent of an event horizon. These conditions have not yet been realized in the lab, but now researchers have managed something similar by swapping the roles of light and matter [1]. They used sheets of light to reflect waves of ultracold atoms back and forth, creating what they call a matter-wave cavity. Vibrating the sheets of light allows them to simulate the behavior of light propagating close to a black hole, while their setup could also enable the study of many other exotic phenomena.

An optical cavity, which is formed by a pair of mirrors facing one another, offers a versatile tool for manipulating light. Vibrating one of the mirrors causes the length of the cavity to oscillate, which can alter the light’s properties. If the mirror could be made to oscillate at the cavity’s resonant frequency—which would require motion at close to the speed of light—all the light would be compressed into an extremely short, intense pulse that would bounce between the mirrors.

European orbiter detects fresh hints of volcanic activity on Mars

New evidence from gas seeping above volcanic rifts suggests Mars is not geologically dead deep inside, but merely sleeping. Fresh fissures along the Alba Mons region hint at active spots under the surface, where gases from inside the planet may be making their way up to the surface.

An international research team led by Alexander Trokhimovskiy suggests that the release of hydrogen chloride comes from hot magma beneath the surface—a sign of dormant volcanism.

The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) first reported hydrogen chloride gas in the Martian atmosphere back in 2021. This gas is commonly found escaping from magmatic vents on Earth, leading researchers to wonder whether the same was happening on Mars.

Foot-stiffening socks could make walking less tiring

Human feet are much stiffer than those of other primates, which means they limit midfoot bending during walking. The evolutionary reasons for this are not entirely clear. One idea is that the features that stiffen the foot evolved to make upright walking less effortful.

To test this, Owen Beck and Hui Tang at the University of Texas at Austin developed a pair of foot-stiffening socks, as they detail in a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. Along the way, they may have come up with a low-cost garment that makes walking easier.

The socks feature tightly knitted bands around the ball of the foot. When someone stands or walks, they restrict the foot from spreading out or widening under pressure, a condition known as foot splay. This, in turn, increases arch stiffness. What the researchers didn’t know, however, was whether this extra stiffness would actually conserve energy without interfering with the natural movement needed for push-off.